History

INTER on course for expansion

A truly major step for an independent and smooth banana supply was taken when, in 1975, INTER acquired a banana plantation in Costa Rica comprising about 300 hectares. This plantation very quickly evolved into a model operation.

Four years previously, INTER had already taken a pioneering decision: it entered – for a good 30 years – into a cooperation with Floridabased group Del Monte, in order to exclusively market fruit in the European region. This marked a further milestone for INTER on its path to becoming an internationally active company.

INTER – a fruit exporter, too

INTER was importing and marketing fruit not only in Germany; it had now built itself a constant circle of buyers in 14 European countries, too. To enhance its presence in the fruit trade, a subsidiary was founded in Rotterdam in 1974, responsible for the marketing of fresh fruit in the Benelux and the United Kingdom. As the fruit was brought ashore in Antwerp, the obvious step later on was to set up a branch there as well. Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp – the three port cities now formed the “magic banana triangle”!

INTER – the expert for bananas and exotics …

In the 70s, and especially in the 80s, INTER was firmly established on its two mainstays and achieving excellent sales. In the mid-1970s, for example, sales almost reached the 120 million DM mark.

Banana marketing was the primary concern for Dieter Weichert, who also liked to visit the producers in order to assure himself of the fruit’s quality. Exotics continued to be the domain of Lennart Heuer. At their side was a motivated team of employees, backed by extensive expert knowledge and many years of experience.

… and for other specialities

INTER was scoring points with variety. However, this did not only apply for its extensive range of exotics. This was because – and for many years already, in some cases – it also had a broad palette of other specialities in stock: be they lettuces or string beans, cherry tomatoes or courgettes, basil or chives, oyster mushrooms or chanterelles, coconuts or almonds – Inter had them!
A note in this connection: the circle of source countries had been expanding continuously over the past decades. Brazil, Chile, South Africa, South-East Asia and Israel were now among these countries.